Intensity Levels

Are you ready for one of our trips? Each of our adventures is assigned a difficulty rating by trip type - Levels 1 thru 4. Below is a detailed description of each intensity level listed by activity category. Simply find your type of trip you're interested in and the corresponding difficulty rating within it. Of course, let us know if you have any further questions.

Basecamp Hiking Trips

Level 1: These trips can be enjoyed by almost anyone. If you regularly engage in some sort of physical labor or aerobic exercise at work or play, then these trips are possible for you. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a light daypack and participate in a hike up to 2 hours in duration. Pre-trip physical conditioning is suggested and should include hiking or walking.

Level 2: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential. You will be hiking off-trail over steep and uneven terrain, often covering more than 10 miles in a day. You may encounter short stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear from our drop-off location to our various camp locations, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure and should include walking or hiking.

Backpacking Trips

Level 2: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential. You will be backpacking and hiking off-trail over steep, hilly, and uneven terrain, often covering more than 6 miles in a day. You may encounter short stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure and should include walking or hiking, preferably with loaded backpack of 30-40 lbs.

Level 3: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is mandatory. These are expedition-style backpacking trips and you will be expected carry a backpack weighing roughly one third of your body weight (but no heavier than 55 lbs) over steep, mountainous, and inconsistent terrain for many days. You will likely encounter longer stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of that in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Previous backpacking experience may be required and is certainly recommended for these trips. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 3 months prior to departure and must include hiking or walking with at least 45 lbs. in your backpack.

Level 4: This level is limted to our "Packaneering" trips, which requires more physical and psychological commitment than our Level 2 or 3 backpacking trips. Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is mandatory. These are expedition-style trips and you will be expected to carry a backpack weighing roughly one third or your body weight (but no heavier than 60 lbs) over glaciated, steep, mountainous, and inconsistent terrain for many consecutive days. This will included many miles of travel over very rocky terrain. You will also encounter long stretches of thick vegetation, perhaps more than one full day's worth, and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Previous mountaineering experience may be required, and prior backpacking experience on Level 3 B trips (or relevant similar experience) is mandatory. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 3 months prior to departure and must include hiking, walking or climbing (if possible) with at least 45 lbs in your backpack.

Kayaking Trips

Level 2: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential. While these kayaking trips are suitable for a total novice kayaker, you will be sitting in and paddling aninflatble sea kayak for up to 4 continuous hours. You also will be hiking off-trail over steep and uneven terrain, often covering more than 10-miles in a day. You may encounter short stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear from our drop-off location to our various camp locations, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure and should include walking or hiking.

Rafting Trips

Level 2: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential. While these rafting trips are suitable for a novice, you will be sitting in and paddling through swift water (up to Class III) an inflatble canoefor up to 4 continuous hours. You will get wet and there's a slim chance you may swim. You also will be hiking off-trail over steep and uneven terrain, often covering more than 10 miles in a day. You may encounter short stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. You will be camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in the rain. You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear from our drop-off location to our various camp locations, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure and should include walking or hiking.

Multisport Tours

Level 2: Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential. These trips are suitable for a novice, but you may find yourself sea kayaking in the ocean or rafting through whitewater (up to Class III+) for up to 4 continuous hours. You also will be hiking off-trail over steep and uneven terrain, often covering more than 6 miles in a day. You may encounter short stretches of thick vegetation and may also experience Alaska's diverse selection of insect species. At night you will enjoy a shower, a hot meal, and a bed.* You will be expected to load and unload your own gear, carry a portion of the group gear from place to place, and manage your own physical comfort and well-being. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure and should include walking or hiking.

Level 3: Reserved for our backcountry ski trips only, this level requires more environmental training and preparation than our summer trips. Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is mandatory and intermediate to advanced alpine skiing skills are essential. These are winter skiing trips in Alaska and you will be expected to carry a backpack weighing roughly 20 lbs over mountainous and inconsistent terrain, perhaps for many days. Previous backcountry skiing experience may be required. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 3 months prior to departure and must include hiking, running, and (of course) skiing.

Level 4: Reserved for our mountaineering & ski-mountaineering trips only, this level requires more environmental training and preparation than our summer trips. Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is mandatory and intermediate to advanced alpine skiing skills are essential. These are expedition-style trips and you will be expected to carry a backpack weighing roughly one third or your body weight over glaciated, mountainous and inconsistent terrain for many days. You will be winter camping in a very remote wilderness, sleeping in tents on the snow, relieving yourself in places with a stunning view, and sometimes enjoying all of the above in extremely harsh conditions. Previous mountaineering experience may be required. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 3 months prior to departure and must include hiking, running, climbing (if possible) and skiing with at least 45 lbs in your backpack.